Adani Power Ltd (APL) has announced the commissioning of the first unit of its 2×800-MW ultra-supercritical thermal power plant at Godda in Jharkhand.
The newly commissioned unit has begun supplies worth 748 mw to neighboring Bangladesh. A release by Adani Power observed that electricity supplied from Godda will replace expensive power generated from liquid fuel, bringing down the average cost of power purchased for Bangladesh.
Strategic asset
“The Godda power plant is a strategic asset in India-Bangladesh’s long-standing relationship. It will ease the power supply in Bangladesh, making its industries and ecosystem more competitive. It is going to be the most efficient and environment-friendly thermal power plant installed in India and the entire South-East region and also one of the best in class in the world. It is the first power plant in the country, which has started its operations from day one with 100 percent flue gas desulphurization (FGD), SCR, and Zero Water Discharge,” noted S.B. Khyalia, CEO, of Adani Power.
Long-term PPA
In November 2017, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) executed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with APL’s wholly-owned subsidiary Adani Power Jharkhand Ltd (APJL) to procure 1,496 mw net capacity power from the 2×800-MW ultra-supercritical power project at Godda. The second 800-MW unit of the Godda power plant is expected to commission soon.
Also read: Adani Transmission Incorporates New Subsidiaries For Power Distribution
Liquid-fuel dominance
Bangladesh has one of the largest liquid fuel-based power generation plants in the Indian subcontinent region. The installed capacity of heavy fuel oil (HFO)-based plants is about 6,329 MW and high-speed diesel (HSD)-based plants is about 1,290 MW, totaling to over 7,600 MW.
As per BPDB’s annual report for the financial year 2021-22, the total tariff of HFO-based plants is around BDT 22.10/kWh (USC 21/KWh) and the total tariff of HSD-based power plants is around BDT 154.11/kWh (USC 149/KWh), which is far higher than the tariff of Godda Power Plant whose energy cost is estimated to be around USC cents/KWh). [USC = US cents; BDT = Bangladesh takka]
Though at present, Bangladesh has long-term PPA ties with three other imported coal-based generators, total tariff of Godda TPP is competitive compared to peers.
Important milestones
Despite several challenges, including unprecedented waves of COVID-19, APJL successfully synchronized the first unit with the power grid of Bangladesh on November 29, 2022, through a dedicated transmission line from Godda to Bangladesh in the presence of representatives from the government of Bangladesh. Subsequently, the requisite transmission evacuation system on the Bangladesh side was commissioned in March 2023. Accordingly, APJL again synchronized Unit 1 on March 20, 2023. The reliability run test, including commercial operation tests, was completed on April 5, 2023, in the presence of competent authority from BPDB and Power Grid Corporation of Bangladesh (PGCB).
